Telescope mount for firearms



July 1939 H F. L. HUMESTON 2,165,796

TELESCOPE MOUNT FOR FIREARMS Filed Aug. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 +3 M ficderzb/r L l/umesion j 7W Attorneys y 1939- F. L. HUMESTON 2,165,796

TELESCOPE MOUNT FOR FIREARMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1, 1938 Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELESCOPE MOUNT FOR FIREARMS Application August 1, 1938, Serial No. 222,319

5 Claims.

This invention relates to telescope-mounts for firearms and more particularly to that type of telescope-mounts whereby the degree of vertical or horizontal adjustment or variations in such adjustment may be determined visually or by the sense of touch.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved telescope-mount for firearms whichis inexpensive to make; effective in use; and which is readily manipulated for mounting a telescope on and demounting said telescope from a firearm.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of parts in a telescope-mount for firearms whereby a compact assembly of a relatively-small number of parts of simple form may be utilized to facilitate the manufacture and assembly of the said parts; to render them more durable; and to provide a device of this character which is substantially dust-proof, weatherproof, and not likely to get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art and which are not claimed in any separate application.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig'. l is a broken view in side elevation of an embodied form of the present invention according to which a telescope-mount is provided for adjustably mounting the telescope on the barrel of a firearm;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional View on an enlarged scale and taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of one of the adjustingunits detached;

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of one of the detent-members before its assembly in the adjusting-unit;

Fig. 7 is a top plan View of the detent-post; Fig. 8 is a view of the detent-post partly in side elevation and partly in vertical axial section; and

Fig 9 is a detached perspective view of a fixed sleeve-member which forms a portion of the outer wall of a closed detent-housing chamber.

According to the embodied form of the invention selected to illustrate the present invention, a telescope-receiving frame generally designated by the reference character in, comprises oppositely-arranged arms II and I2 which are deflected inwardly each toward the other at their lower ends to form clamping-jaws l3 and I4 of suitable construction and arrangement to be rigidly clamped to the dovetailed upper end 15 of a suitable block-like support I6 which, if desired, may be secured by screws H to the barrel l8 of a rifle or other firearm. A clamping screw l9 having a knurled head 20 is rotatable in a journaling-aperture 2| formed in a struck-up protuberance 22 in the arm II and at its other end 23 has a threaded connection with a threaded aperture 24 in a struck-up protuberance 25 formed in the arm I2.

As shown to the best advantage in Fig. 2, a telescope 26 extends through the opening in the telescope-receiving frame II] and is supportably engaged by a central intermediate portion 21 of a spring-wire cradle designated generally'by the reference character 28. The central intermediate portion 21 of the cradle 28 extends rearwardly under the telescope 26 above the clampingscrew l9 and is connected by laterally-spaced coiled spring portions 29-29 with rearwardly extending terminal-branches 3030 of the cradle. The said terminal branches 3039 rest upon the clamping-screw l9 and are anchored at 3l--3l in the clamping-jaws l3 and M respectively.

By means of the above-described construction and arrangement of parts, the telescope 26 is maintained in seated engagement with the inner end of av ertical adjusting-screw 32 whereby, in the manner to be presently described, the adjust ment of the telescope in the vertical plane of the barrel I8 is effected. As shown particularly well in Fig. 3, a tubular detent-post generally designated by the reference character 33, is provided with a tubular neck 34 fitting into a socket opening 35 formed in the telescope receiving frame H], the said neck 34 being riveted in position at 36 at the inner face of the telescopereceiving frame l0. Immediately above and spaced from the upper surface of the frame It], the detent-post 33 is provided with an annular enlargement or shoulder 31 between which and the said frame is clamped the inwardly-deflected annular flange 38 of a cylindrical sleeve 39 extending around and spaced outwardly from an upwardly-extending tubular shell 40 of the detentpost 33. The said tubular shell 45 is provided exteriorly with longitudinal grooves or notches 4| and interiorly with screw-threads 42.

In connection with a telescope-receiving frame such as that referred to above for adjustably mounting telescopes on firearms, the present invention is concerned with an improved construction and arrangement of parts in and related to a vertically-acting adjusting-unit for determining, for example, the proper elevation of a gun for a given range of fire; as Well as to a horizontally-acting adjusting-unit suitable for use in determining, for example, the amount of sightdeflection necessary to compensate for winddisplacement of a missile fired from the said gun. Inasmuch as the vertically-acting and horizontally-acting adjusting-units are substantially similar in construction and are associated with operating connections which are arranged and function in the same manner in both instances, a description of one of these adjusting devices with its associated parts will serve for both.

As shown particularly Well in Fig. 3, an adjusting-unit which is designated generally by the reference character 43, comprises in addition to the adjusting-screw 32, a cup-shaped cap designated generally by the reference character 54 and a detent-member which is designated generally by the reference character @5. Presented upwardly from the upper end of the adjustingscrew 32, is an integral rivet 35. As shown to the best advantage in Fig. 6, the detent-member 45 is provided with a. central hole 11 formed in the fiat disk-like top-wall d8 thereof and snugly fitting over the rivet 6 at the top of the said adjusting-screw 32.

The detent-member E5 is provided with a circular marginal flange 59 from which depends on one side of the central hole 41, a. detent-finger it which conforms to the curvature of the circular flange 3-9 and is provided on its concave inner surface with an inwardly-struck det'ent-projection 5|. Depending from the circular flange 49 on the opposite side of the central hole 41 from the detent-projecticn 5! is a stabilizing-finger 52 which also conforms to the curvature of the marginal flange 49 and is bent inwardly slightly toward the axis of the adjusting-screw 32 for slidable engagement with the outer'surface of the tubular shell til during rotational movement of the adjusting-screw 32 accompanied by the clicking engagement of the detent-projection 5! of the detent-finger 5!) with the grooves or notches ii in the outer wall of tubular shell 40.

The cup-shaped cap M comprises a flat disklike top-wall 53; a cylindrical finger-grip portion 5 which is preferably knurled to facilitate the manipulation of the adjusting-unit 53; and a depending skirt 55 which but slightly clears the outer wall of the sleeve 39 during endwise and rotational displacement of the adjusting-screw 32. The disk-like top-wall 53 of the cap 44 is provided with a central hole 56 which fits snugly over the rivet 46 and is countersunk at its outer end as at 57 to permit the upper end of the said integral rivet 45 to be riveted or headed down therein, for the purpose of uniting the adjustingscrew 32, detent-member 45, and cap M into a unitary structure 4 3 (Fig. 5).

If desired, the lower portion of the bevelled outersurface of the depending-skirt 55 of the cupshaped cap 4 3 may be inscribed or otherwise provided with an annular series of longitudinal index-marks 58 for being read in conjunction with a longitudinal index-mark 59- providedupon the outer surface of the sleeve 39. The extreme inner edge of the depending-skirt 55 of the cupshaped cap 44 is adapted to sequentially register with a series of transverse index-marks 60 leading laterally from the longitudinal indexmark 59, just above referred to, and spaced a distance from each other corresponding to the pitch of the threads on the adjusting-screw 32.

It will be understood from the foregoing and by reference to the accompanying drawings that the present invention provides a substantially weatherproof and dust proof detent-chamber of annular form which is closed at the top by the flat top-wall 48 of the cup-shaped cap 44 and is closed at the bottom by the annular enlargement 3'! of the tubular detent-post 33. Around its outer periphery, the detent-chamber, just above referred to, is closed by the telescoping skirt 55 and sleeve 39. Within the said annular detentchamber thus formed are arranged the interengaging fixed and movable det'ents comprising, in the instance shown, the detent-irojection 5| and the annular series of longitudinal detent-grooves 4i formed in the outer wall of the tubular shell :30 of the detent-post 33.

It will be seen that the construction and arrangement of parts abovedescribed provides an exceedingly simple, effective and compact arrangement of fixed and movable detents which interact with each other substantially in a cylindrical chamber concentrically and intermediately arranged with respect to a relatively-smaller cylindrical member and a corresponding relativelylarger cylindrical surface.

Mounted in the arm I2 of the telescope-receiving frame i5 is an'adjusting-device like that above described, save that it serves to laterally or horizontally adjust the telescope 26 to permit compensation for the wind-displacement of missiles firedfrom the gun upon which the telescope is mounted. The adjusting-means just referred to, which is mounted in the arm i2 of the telescope receiving frame It! corresponds, as before noted, to the vertically-adjustable means above described, and the parts of the said horizontallyarranged. adjusting-means are designated by the same reference characters as those employed first above, save that the additional character a has-been incuded therewith.

The telescope 2G is retained in yielding seated engagement with the inner end of the horizontal adjusting-screw 32a by means of a springpressed cup-shaped plunger GI having an inner end-wall t2 bearing against the adjacent portion of the telescope 26. The said cup-shaped plunger 6| has reciprocating movement in a reverselyarranged cup-shaped cylinder 63 extending through an opening 64 formed in the arm II of the telescope-receiving frame ID. The said cylinder 63 is provided at its inner end with an outwardly-extending stop-flange 65 bearing against the inner face of the arm ll under the tension of a helical spring 65 jointly housed within the cup-shaped plunger 6! and the cup-shaped cylinder. 63, as is shown in Fig. 2. The helical spring 66, just referred to, bears at its inner end against the end-wall 62 of the plunger 6i and at its outer end bears against the end-Wall 67 of the cylinder 63, so as to exert a constant but yielding effort to shift the telescope 26 toward and against the inner face of the adjustingscrew 32a.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A telescope-mount for firearms, comprising: a telescope-receiving frame; a tubular detentpost connected to the said frame; an adjustmentscrew having a threaded connection with the interior wall of the said tubular detent-post, the said detent-post and adjustment-screw being provided with interengaging detents at the outer peripheral surface of the former; a fixed sleeve concentrically arranged with the said detentpost; and a cup-shaped cap mounted on the adjusting-screw, the said cup-shaped cap being movable rotationally and endwise relatively to the said fixed sleeve and in juxtaposed relation thereto to provide a housing for the said interengaging detents.

2. A telescope-mound for firearms, comprising: a telescope-receiving frame constrcted to be attached to a gun; a tubular detent-post mounted in the said frame and provided interiorly with screw-threads and exteriorly with peripheral notches extending longitudinally thereof; an adjustment-screw threaded into the said detentpost, the said adjustment-screw being arranged to have endwise seating engagement with the tubular wall of a telescope extending through the said telescope-receiving frame; a detent-finger mounted on the said adjustment-screw and extending exteriorly of the said detent-post to engage in said peripheral notches during a rotational movement of the said adjusting-screw; a fixed cylindrical sleeve concentrically arranged with the tubular detent-post and in snugly-interfitting engagement therewith at the bottom, said sleeve being radially spaced outwardly from the circular path of the said detent-finger; and an adjustment-screWactuating-cap secured to the said adjusting-screw at the top and having a depending skirt telescopically arranged with respect to the outer surface of the fixed cylindrical sleeve and with a slight peripheral clearance therebetween.

3. A telescope-mount for firearms, comprising: a telescope-receiving frame constructed to be attached to a gun; a tubular detent-post provided interiorly with screw-threads and exteriorly with peripheral notches extending longitudinally thereon; a fixed cylindrical sleeve of relativelylarger diameter than the tubular detent-post and concentrically arranged in respect thereto to provide an annular chamber between it and the outer wall of the said detent-post; an adjustment-screw threaded into the said detent-post, the said adjustment-screw being arranged to be in, endwise seating engagement with the tubular wall of a telescope extending through the said telescope-receiving frame; an adjustment-screw-actuatingcap mounted on and enclosing the outer end of said adjustment-screw, the said actuating-cap being provided with a depending skirt telescopi- Cally-arranged with respect to the outer surface of the said fixed cylindrical sleeve and a detentfinger having an upper end portion secured to the said'adjustment-screw within the actuating-cap and extending longitudinally within the said annular chamber to engage the peripheral notches in the said detent-post during a rotational movement of the said adjusting-screw.

l. A telescope-mount for firearms, comprising: a telescope-receiving frame constructed to be attached to a gun and provided with an opening therethrough; a tubular detent-member mounted at its inner end in said opening and projecting outwardly from the said frame, said tubular detent-member being provided with longitudinal notches in its outer wall and with a concentrically-mounted sleeve of larger diameter extending therearound and forming a detent-chamber between the said sleeve and the said tubular detentmember; a knurled cap mounted on the outer end of the said adjusting-screw, said knurled cap being provided with a skirt extending around and in contacting engagement with the said tubular sleeve; and a second detent-member having a central disk-like portion interposed between the outer end of the said adjusting-screw and the inner wall of the knurled cap, and having a detent-finger extending into said detent-chamber to engage the longitudinal notches in the outer periphery of the tubular detent-member.

5. A telescope-mount for firearms, comprising: a telescope-receiving frame constructed to be at tached to a firearm and provided with an opening extending outwardly therethrough; a tubular detent-member mounted at one end in the said opening and provided exteriorly with longitudinally-extending notches; an adjusting-screw threaded into the interior of said tubular detentmember; a tubular sleeve projecting outwardly from the said frame in concentric arrangement with said tubular detent-member, said tubular sleeve having an internal diameter larger than the outside diameter of the said tubular detent-memher to form therewith an annular detent-chamher; a second detent-member comprising a central disk-like portion concentrically arranged with and at the outer end of the adjusting-screw, a detent-finger extending therefrom into the said detent-chamber to click with the exterior notches in the periphery of the said tubular detent-member; and a stabilizing-finger extending from the said disk-like portion of the said second detent-member and having a terminal portion thereof in movable engagement with the outer periphery of the said tubular detent-member Within the said detent-chamber; and a cupshaped cap comprising a disk-like top wall concentrically arranged with the adjusting-screw and secured together with the central disk-like portion of the second detent-member to the outer end of said adjusting-screw and a skirt surrounding and telescopically overlapping the said tubular sleeve.

FREDERICK L. HUMESTON. 

